In Need of a Cobbler
by Ayala Atreides
Summary: Slight AU based on the Recobbled Cut. Princess Yum-Yum is intrigued by the young cobbler brought before her father. What will happen when they spend a little more time together? The love and grand adventures of Tack and Yum-Yum.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! New to this fandom, such as it is. I'm sad that this movie doesn't have a bigger fandom! So sad. But I just saw the Recobbled Cut a few days ago and I'm in love with this movie! So I wrote this! :D**

**I guess this counts as an AU. I fiddled with the timeline and sequence of events to give Tack and Yum-Yum a bit more time together in the palace. As much as I love the movie (the Recobbled Cut, that is), the one thing I think it really needed was more development between the two of them. Their relationship is adorable, but they don't really have that much screen time together. I wanted to explore their relationship a bit further, hence this fic! Basically, we're just going to pretend that it took the Thief a day or two longer to steal the golden balls, okay? Maybe he got distracted by some other bits of shiny along the way, hmm? ;)**

**Also, I wrote most of this while listening to the Aladdin soundtrack. HA HA HA.**

* * *

**IN NEED OF A COBBLER**

Princess Yum-Yum sighed quietly as she watched the polo game. She bit into the pear in her hand, chewing listlessly. She wasn't particularly fond of polo, anyway—she liked watching the horses run round, but the game itself bored her. And the game was especially boring today; she had more important issues on her mind. She leaned over the side of her plush chair, towards King Nod. He was, as usual, asleep.

"Father?" she called. "Father!" Her sleepy father woke from his doze with a start. "Do you know where my cobbler has gone to?" she asked him.

"What? No, er… isn't he with you? Fixing your shoe?" the old king asked. From the king's other side, Yum-Yum saw Grand Vizier Zigzag stifle a laugh behind one bony hand. Irritation rose within her at the sight, but she ignored him.

"He seems to have… vanished," Yum-Yum murmured, sinking back into her chair again. And then, predictably, Zigzag quickly diverted King Nod's attention back to the game. The king drifted off once more and Zigzag took the opportunity to grin at Yum-Yum over the old man's chair. She glared at him, but he just kept leering at her.

"Eugh," she groaned, then twisted and hurled her half-eaten pear at him. The old creep ducked it easily.

"Ha ha!" he crowed. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the game. But her mind quickly wandered to her missing cobbler. She bit back a smile as she thought of the pale, handsome young man she'd met the day before. He was so strange! He never spoke, not even once. He'd just sat there on the floor, working on her slipper and occasionally smiling shyly at her. Tack was nothing like Zigzag; the old Vizier would ogle her the way his ugly pet bird would eye a slab of raw meat, and it never failed to make her feel like she needed a bath to scrub herself clean. But when Tack looked at her with those wide, blue eyes, she only saw kindness—and, dare she hope, perhaps some longing? He'd certainly been blushing often enough (and so had she, to be honest). And then there was the lovely heart shape he'd woven onto her shoe!

_Where in the world could he have gone to?_ she wondered. Yum-Yum was eager to spend more time with him, but she couldn't very well do that if he was missing. She resolved to look for him after the match. She was a bit worried for the cobbler. She knew that Zigzag wanted to get rid of him, and she feared what he might do when Tack was done fixing her slipper. _I have to find him, to protect him from Zigzag! _

If she could, she'd have left the match early to begin her search; but no, that wouldn't do at all. She was a princess, and she had to maintain appearances. So she forced herself to stay seated and keep her eyes on the game. If there was one thing Princess Yum-Yum knew very well, it was how to maintain appearances. She'd spent her whole life immersed in the boring politics of the royal court. So she put on a placid smile and pretended to enjoy the game.

But behind her well-trained mask, her mind was whirling. She needed to find a way to keep Tack out of Zigzag's claws—and an excuse to keep him by her side a while longer!

* * *

That night, Princess Yum-Yum gratefully returned to the privacy of her summer bedchamber. She'd been playing the gracious hostess to various nobles all day long, sitting politely by King Nod's side and smiling until her cheeks hurt. But now, at least, she would have some privacy. This bedchamber was her sanctuary, where no one could enter without her permission. It had been built especially for her—a round bed sat on a marble dais in the middle of a white-tiled courtyard. She had the night sky for a ceiling, with all its shining stars. High walls surrounded the courtyard on all sides, with a rose-covered trellis at the gate.

She sank down onto her bed with a sigh. She'd hardly had any time to search for Tack! There had been a couple of hours before dinner where she'd had nothing to do, and she'd used them to question every guard, servant, and cook she could find. None of them had seen the cobbler. She was surprised at how much she missed Tack's company. She hardly knew the man! And yet here she was, turning the palace upside-down looking for him.

Well, at least there was a bit of good news: she'd come up with her plan. She smiled to herself and retrieved a cotton bag from the steps of the dais. She untied it and upended it onto her bed; a pile of fine slippers spilled out, their colors deep and muted in the moonlight.

Humming softly, she settled down next to the heap and picked up one of the slippers. It was quite pretty, made of emerald green silk and embroidered with golden thread in intricate designs; elegant birds and exotic plants decorated its sides and toe. She admired it for a moment, then grasped it between both hands and snapped the thin wooden sole in half. Such a shame, to have to ruin something so lovely, but it was only a slipper. She tossed it aside and the matching shoe quickly met the same fate as its mate. Another pair of broken slippers joined the pile, and then another pair, and another. Yum-Yum smiled to herself as she worked her way through all of the shoes. Now Tack would have more than adequate reason to stay at the palace! Her cheeks flushed pink. All she had to do was find him…

Yum-Yum yawned as she tossed the last shoe onto the pile. It was getting quite late. She stretched her arms and then curled up on her soft, cozy bed, nestling against her pillow. But sleep wouldn't come easily that night—she'd scarcely closed her eyes when her bed started shuddering and undulating. She sat up as the wolves rose around the edges of the bed to attack the intruder, and she gasped at what she saw: standing on the bed was a bizarre man huddled beneath a filthy cloak. He greedily clutched her broken shoes in his thin, bony hands, his yellow eyes staring out at her from beneath a white and red skullcap. There was a cloud of flies buzzing around his head. He hardly even looked human!

"Thief?" she mumbled sleepily. Then her wits returned to her. "Thief! Stop, thief!" she cried as the creature scampered off her bed and ran towards the door. She flew off the bed as well and dashed after the thief. She caught up to him quickly and delivered a solid kick to his rear. The thief dropped the slippers and bolted out into the shadowy night, waving his stick-like arms frantically. Yum-Yum let out an annoyed huff as she gathered the scattered slippers, putting them back in the cotton bag for now.

The wolves had retreated now that the intruder was gone. As Yum-Yum sank back down onto her bed, her mind returned to the subject that had occupied her thoughts all day: Tack. _Where could he have gone to?_ she wondered once again. The longer he was gone, the more she worried, remembering how much Zigzag seemed to resent his presence. And then a terrible thought occurred to her: What if Zigzag was behind Tack's sudden disappearance?

The thought send fear spiraling through her. There was no telling what the Grand Vizier would do to the gentle cobbler. He might have just sent Tack away, but then again… She sprang up from her bed again and threw a silk robe on over her nightclothes. If her suspicions were right, then she couldn't wait until morning to resume her search. Besides, she'd never be able to sleep now anyway. As she left her bedchamber, she decided to go to the dungeon first. It was as likely a place to start as any other.

* * *

A shudder went through Yum-Yum as she descended the stone steps into the damp, cold dungeon. She hugged her arms tightly around herself, as her robe did little to keep out the chill. Her soft footfalls echoed off the stone walls, mixing with the squeaks of rats. Luckily, she'd never been afraid of rats or mice.

There was another sound drifting through the dungeon as well, growing louder: the harsh squawking of a vulture and an all-too familiar male voice, though she couldn't make out his words. Yum-Yum's fists clenched in fury and she broke into a run, charging down a second flight of steps. The old Vizier started laughing as the squawking reached a fever pitch. Yum-Yum sprinted around a corner and shouted in horror at the sight that met her eyes—Zigzag stood before the half-open door of a cell, gripping the lead line of a thrashing vulture. Feathers flew everywhere as the bird lunged into the cell. _Tack!_ she thought, fear pushing her anger aside.

"Zigzag!" Yum-Yum exclaimed. The Vizier spun around, startled. "I order you to stop, this instant!" The words were barely out of her mouth when she heard a loud, metallic clang from inside the cell, the sound of iron hitting stone. The vulture let out a frightened shriek and scrabbled backwards. Yum-Yum smirked. Zigzag recovered his wits, yanked the bird out of the cell, and pushing the heavy door shut with his foot. The old creep smiled in what he clearly believed to be a charming manner.

"Princess, gentle of heart and fair of face! What brings you to this dreadful place?" he crooned, spreading his bony hands. His vulture screeched and screamed behind him, scratching at the cell door with its talons. She knew that Tack wasn't exactly talkative, but the silence from his cell was still unnerving. She had to get Zigzag out of here as soon as possible.

Yum-Yum glared at the Vizier. "Your disobedience," she replied coldly. "The cobbler is my guest in this palace, and he will be treated as such! You had no right to put him in this cell."

"Ah, Princess, but you forget!" Zigzag said gleefully. "This peasant attacked me, and hasn't been punished yet. He is a criminal, not a guest! We must treat him like all the rest. He must face justice for his offense—and so, you see, I've brought Phido hence. The punishment will be severe, among other things, carried out on my loyal bird's wings. Eh, Phido?" he added to the bird, grinning at it. Phido ignored him and continued lashing out at the cell door.

But Yum-Yum just smiled, unconcerned. "He shall carry out his sentence in service to me. I still need a cobbler," she said.

Zigzag's smile faltered. "Fairest lady, we must not—"

"Enough! Return to your tower at once, Zigzag," Yum-Yum said angrily. Suddenly, a royal summons rang through the palace, calling the Grand Vizier to the throne room. For just a second, a dark look passed over Zigzag's face. Then he hid it away and flashed another of his loopy grins.

"Ah, affairs of state!" he said. "It seems that justice shall have to wait. Good night, dear Princess, go and rest your head. It's late, and past time you went to bed." He yanked on the lead line, pulling that awful bird away and up the dungeon stairs. Yum-Yum waited until they were out of sight and then ran to the cell door. She grasped the rough wood and heaved on it, hauling it open.

"Tack, are you all right?" she asked, alarmed. She peered into the darkness and saw Tack sitting on the wooden bench at the back of the cell. He looked up and smiled widely, the two tacks held between his lips swinging upward as she stepped into the cell. "That horrible bird didn't hurt you, did it?" she asked anxiously.

The cobbler shook his head, tapped his foot against the iron ball that was chained to his shackle, and made a dropping motion. Yum-Yum chuckled. Her worry faded away, replaced by relief that he was all right.

"If only you could have thrown it at Zigzag instead," she said wryly.

Tack nodded fervently, frowning. The tacks drooped downward. He glanced towards the floor, tugging his ankle against the shackle clamped around it.

"Oh, no!" Yum-Yum cried. "I don't have the keys!" But Tack didn't seem worried. He leaned forward, plucked one of the tacks from between his lips, and deftly picked the lock. The remaining tack shifted from one side of his mouth to the other as he worked. After a moment, the manacle fell away and Tack stood up, returning the tack to its usual place. As he did so, there was a soft squeaking from beneath the bench. Tack spun around and knelt down, reaching into the shadows. He rose with a white rat cupped in the palms of his hands. The tacks lifted up again as he smiled at the little creature. He turned back to Yum-Yum and held his hands out.

"I see you've met a new friend in here," she commented, giggling. "It's adorable!" She reached out and stroked its tiny head with the tip of her forefinger. It squeaked again and looked up at her with ruby red eyes. Tack gently tucked the little rat into one of his many pockets.

"Come on, let's leave," Yum-Yum suggested, shivering. "It's so cold down here." Tack nodded and followed her out of the cell. They left the dungeon side by side.

As they moved through the palace, Yum-Yum felt happier than she had all day. She kept stealing sideways glances at the cobbler, watching him as he walked. And she could see Tack peeking at her from the corner of her eye. Their gazes met and Tack blushed, averting his eyes. Yum-Yum felt her own face redden as well. She smiled to herself and looked down at the intricate mosaics on the floor.

"I hope you weren't stuck in that awful cell for too long," she said eventually.

Tack shook his head and then pulled something out of yet another pocket—it was a metal file!

"You were going to escape!" she exclaimed, and then she chuckling again. "It seems that old Zigzag underestimated you!"

Tack shrugged modestly and the tacks swung to the left side of his mouth. The file disappeared into his pocket again.

"Where would you have gone if you _had_ escaped?" Yum-Yum asked. She had a sudden image in her mind of Tack wandering through the palace, lost amid its many winding halls.

He smiled shyly at her and his cheeks turned red. Then he looked away, twiddling his bandaged thumbs. Yum-Yum blushed again as well when she realized what he was trying to convey—that he would have gone to find her. Then she remembered her plan and spoke up again.

"Would you please stay at the palace a while longer? I have more shoes that need to be fixed," she said.

He nodded quickly, his blue eyes lighting up.

"Good!" she said happily. She led him to an arched doorway on the floor beneath her usual bedchamber. "This is one of the guest quarters," she explained. "You can sleep here tonight. In the morning, you're welcome to join Father and me for breakfast."

Tack's eyes widened and his tacks swung straight down. Yum-Yum couldn't help but giggle a little. The cobbler had probably never imagined that he'd ever sit at the King's breakfast table!

Yum-Yum stifled a yawn. It was very late by now. "Well, we should both get some sleep," she said. Tack nodded slowly, but then their eyes met and they both continued to stand there for a moment. Finally, Yum-Yum took a step away. "Good night, Tack," she said softly.

Tack lifted one pale hand in a wave, wiggling his long fingers at her, his tacks swinging sideways in a half smile. Yum-Yum turned and walked back down the hallway. She paused at the corner and glanced over her shoulder; Tack was still standing there, watching her leave. He waved once more, then turned and ducked through the curtained doorway. The corners of her lips curled upward and she quietly walked back to her summer bedchamber.

Yum-Yum shed her robe as she entered her bedchamber. She sank down onto her bed and sighed again—but this time, she sighed out of happiness.

* * *

**There's Chapter 1! Please do review and tell me your thoughts! ^_^**

**Here's a relevant song for this fic! This could practically be Tack and Yum-Yum's theme song: "He Plays the Violin", from the musical 1776.**

**h t t p : / / www. youtube. com/ watch ?v=nopoNkjV5NI**


	2. Chapter 2

**IN NEED OF A COBBLER—Chapter 2**

The next morning, Princess Yum-Yum took extra care in readying herself for the day. Usually, her nanny helped her, but today she wanted to do it herself. She brushed out her thick, black hair until it gleamed and then settled her diadem onto her head, arranging the long veil that hung down her back. Then she put on her jewelry and settled her gauzy face-veil in place.

"Breakfast is ready, m'dear," Nanny said from the doorway of the dressing room.

"Thank you, Nanny," Yum-Yum said. She gave her appearance one last scrutinizing glance in the mirror, adjusted her veil, and then walked over to the old woman. "Oh, Nanny, the cobbler is sleeping in the guest bedchamber one floor down, at the end of the hall. Would you please go and get him? I invited him to have breakfast with us today." She'd have gone herself, but she had to maintain _some _level of propriety.

"Of course, m'dear," Nanny said. Yum-Yum smiled at her kindly caretaker and planted a kiss on her wrinkled cheek. "You seem very cheerful this morning. It's to do with that young man, isn't it?" she commented, her brown eyes twinkling behind her thick glasses. Yum-Yum blushed and Nanny chuckled as they left the dressing room.

While Nanny went to fetch Tack, Yum-Yum made her way to the terrace where she and her father took their private meals. It was a tranquil space, decorated with beautiful mosaics and fragrant flowers. Aside from the royal family, only a few others were allowed to dine there, including her nanny and, unfortunately, Zigzag. The Grand Vizier was mercifully absent that morning, but King Nod's new concubine wasn't. Yum-Yum restrained herself from rolling her eyes at the sight of the bright pink palanquin behind her father's seat. Sultry giggles emanated from behind the silk curtains and this time, she did roll her eyes. To be honest, Yum-Yum found the whole concept of a concubine to be fairly degrading.

"Good morning, Father," she said, pushing aside her annoyance and approaching the table, which was already laden with food. Yum-Yum settled down onto a green linen cushion in her usual place, at her father's right hand. King Nod awoke with a start and glanced blearily up at her.

"Oh… good morning, Yum-Yum," he mumbled, his eyelids drooping again. A shapely hand emerged from the palanquin's curtains and stroked the old king's shoulder.

"I've invited Tack to join us today," she said. She reached over to the closest platter and took some flatbread and goat cheese.

"Er, yes… who, my darling?" he asked. He woke up a bit as he suddenly seemed to notice the wide variety of food arrayed before him.

"The cobbler, Father," she reminded him patiently.

"Yes, well… you, er, found him, then?" the king asked.

Yum-Yum smiled. "Yes, Father," she said.

"Ah, er, very good." He turned his attention to his meal. Yum-Yum ate her flatbread, waiting impatiently. Finally, she heard a familiar sound from the doorway behind her—Nanny's quiet humming and murmuring. Yum-Yum stood up quickly and turned around in time to see Nanny walk in with Tack following behind her. Nanny went right to her seat at the table, but Tack hesitated in the arched doorway, looking like he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. The tacks in his mouth shifted uncertainly. Then his gaze landed on her and his mood seemed to lighten, his hunched shoulders straightening slightly. Yum-Yum beamed and walked over to him.

"Good morning, Tack!" she said.

He smiled in return, tacks swinging apart into an arrow shape as he waved at her.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

Tack nodded and then tilted his head at her.

"I slept very well, thank you," she replied, guessing at his meaning. His widened smile confirmed it and she felt a small surge of satisfaction; she was beginning to understand him better. "Come on, sit with me," she said, gesturing to the table. Tack paused again as they walked over to the table, his eyes fixed on King Nod. He sketched an awkward, uneasy bow, which the King acknowledged with a mumble and a bleary-eyed glance. The cobbler shrugged, as if to himself, and then followed Yum-Yum to their seats.

She sat down again and Tack perched on the cushion next to hers. He studied the food-laden platters on the table for a moment. Then, in a single, smooth motion, he reached out and took a pear from the nearest one. Yum-Yum's eyes followed his hand and a smile tugged the corners of her mouth. There was a strange sort of contradiction between Tack's hands and his feet; he seemed prone to clumsiness, but his hands moved so gracefully.

Tack then plucked the tacks from between his lips and tucked them into a pocket somewhere, and Yum-Yum couldn't help but laugh.

"I was beginning to wonder if you ever removed those things," she commented teasingly.

Tack smiled wryly and gestured airily with his free hand, and then he blushed a little and ducked his head. Yum-Yum's heart fluttered—it was the first time she'd seen Tack smile without the ever-present tacks in his mouth, and it was something she dearly hoped she could see more often. She quickly busied herself with a cluster of grapes from the platter as her cheeks flushed red. Yum-Yum's nanny caught her eye over the table and gave her a knowing look, making her redden even more.

A few minutes later, a quiet squeak drew her attention. Yum-Yum looked over just in time to see the white rat pop its head out of a pocket over Tack's chest, blinking its beady, red eyes. Tack stopped in the midst of reaching for a piece of flatbread and glanced down at the rodent. It sank its claws into the rough-spun fabric of Tack's patched-up shirt and clambered up to his shoulder. Yum-Yum giggled at the sight. Tack's eyes widened and he grabbed the rat, shooting a nervous glance at King Nod. The old man was dozing off again and didn't notice.

Nanny noticed, though. "Oh!" she exclaimed. The old woman squinted through her glasses. "Is that a kitten of some sort?"

"Yes, Nanny," Yum-Yum said quickly, stifling a laugh behind her fingers.

Tack placed the rat on the ground next to his cushion and took some grapes from the platter. He swiftly removed each of the fruits from their stem and placed them in front of the rat. The little creature squeaked again and grabbed one of the purple fruits, sitting up on its haunches to nibble at its food.

* * *

After breakfast, Yum-Yum lead Tack to a garden courtyard adjacent to her summer bedchamber. She'd had a servant bring her broken shoes there earlier that morning; she had decided that if Tack was going to spend the whole day working, he might as well have someplace pleasant to do it. And this garden was one of the most beautiful places in the palace. And besides, here she'd have an excuse to stay close to the cobbler as he worked. Unlike the rest of the palace grounds, which were kept by the royal gardeners, these flowers were tended to by Yum-Yum herself.

"Well, here we are," she said as they stepped through the arched doorway and into the garden.

Tack stared around in amazement, then turned to her with a huge smile; the tacks swung wide, back in their usual place.

"You like it here, then?" she asked, amused. He nodded vigorously. "I'm glad! Now, my shoes are over here…" She brought him to the center of the garden, where the heap of broken shoes sat next to a trickling fountain.

Tack's eyes went wide as he stared at the pile. He turned his shocked gaze towards Yum-Yum, who clasped her hands behind her back and schooled her face into the very picture of innocence.

"These silk slippers are so fragile," she said lightly. "They break under the slightest exertion!"

Tack raised one eyebrow at her, the tacks shifting sideways in a half-smile. He clearly wasn't buying a word of it. Obviously, though, neither of them minded the lie. The cobbler sat down with his back to the fountain, folding his long legs in front of him with his feet pressed together. He picked up the first slipper and balanced it atop the curled toes of his sandals. Yum-Yum watched with interest as he dug various odds and ends out of his pockets—including the rat, which scurried down his torso, down onto his leg, and curled up on his right knee.

Yum-Yum busied herself with her flowers, filling a watering can with water from the fountain and going around from one plant to the next. But she stayed near Tack, watching him from the corner of her eye. She found it difficult not to, really. The quick, steady movements of his hands were mesmerizing, and again she saw a contrast—this time, between the awkward, hunched posture of his body and the sureness of his fingers.

She wasn't the only one having trouble focusing on their work; just like the night before, Tack kept glancing her way. There was a certain curiosity in his gaze—and again, was she just imagining the longing in his eyes? She hoped not.

Yum-Yum smirked to herself as this game of theirs went on. They seemed to be developing a pattern, here. It had been the same way when Tack was first brought to the palace, just a day and a half ago: then, as now, they had stolen glances at one another while Yum-Yum arranged flowers and Tack fixed her shoe (which she had also broken on purpose). And then, as now, they had both blushed whenever their eyes met.

As the morning went by, Yum-Yum found it harder and harder to concentrate on her flowers. She wanted to know more about her mysterious cobbler, but that wasn't going to be easy if he wouldn't talk… or if he _couldn't_. She wondered, not for the first time, if he was actually mute. Or perhaps he simply didn't like talking. Perhaps he was too shy to speak. Well, if he wouldn't speak, then she'd just have to keep learning how to understand him in his own way.

Turning away from trimming a rosebush, she walked over to Tack. He glanced up at her and his hands went still.

"Do you mind if I sit here and watch?" she asked.

Tack shook his head and went back to his work as she sat down next to him. He smiled suddenly and turned towards her, holding up the slipper in his hands. His fingers moved more slowly, letting her follow his actions while he stitched torn silk back together. Yum-Yum smiled as well, realizing he was giving her a lesson in cobbling. After a few minutes, he held up the finished slipper with a flourish that made her giggle behind her hand. He set it down atop a pile of four other completed slippers.

Her smile dimmed slightly. "You certainly work quickly," she commented.

Tack nodded, glanced at the five slippers, and then did a double take. He looked at the heap of broken slippers, then back at the finished five. The tacks in his mouth swung downward in a frown. He picked up a sixth shoe, but he proceeded much more slowly than before. _Aha,_ Yum-Yum thought. Unless she missed her guess, Tack had reached the same conclusion that she had—that their time together would be up as soon as his work here was finished. Yum-Yum pushed the thought out of her head for now.

Midday came and Yum-Yum called a servant to bring them lunch. As they ate, she contemplated how to go about solving the mystery of the silent cobbler. Finally, she decided on a question to ask.

"How long have you been a cobbler, Tack?" she asked him.

He paused with a piece of flatbread halfway to his mouth, lowering it as he considered the question. Then he smiled abruptly, put the flatbread back on the tray, and dug around in his pockets. He brought out a long loop of golden-yellow string. The two tacks went back in his mouth and he draped the string around his hands. His fingers flew in a pale blur as he wove the string in between them. Every so often he would bring his hands up to his mouth and use the tacks to pull on the string, tilting his head this way and that. Yum-Yum leaned forward, fascinated.

Soon enough, he held his hands apart and an image took shape in the golden string: it was a bundled shape, like that of a baby wrapped in blankets. He held the image up next to his face.

"That's you?" Yum-Yum asked.

Tack nodded and collapsed the shape. His fingers flew again and the tacks went back to work, and another picture emerged between his hands; this time, it was the bearded, square-jawed face of a man.

"Your father?" she guessed.

Tack frowned and shook his head. He quickly formed another string picture, this time of a shoe.

"Oh, I see, he was a cobbler. But not your father…" She put the pieces together quickly. "This man took you in as a baby?"

Tack nodded. He looked fondly at the string image, clearly reflecting on happy memories.

"What about your parents?" she asked.

Tack shrugged, his eyes downcast.

Yum-Yum gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Oh," she said softly. He'd been an orphan. "I'm so sorry, Tack. I hope I didn't upset you by asking."

Tack gave her a reassuring smile and shook his head again. He spun another picture with his swift fingers, shifting his hands so that one hovered above the other and twisting the string into the shape of a small child. He moved his hands apart and the string-child grew taller. Yum-Yum laughed, amazed by his skill with the string. He wove the shape of a shoe again and she understood.

"This cobbler made you his apprentice when you grew older," she guessed.

Tack nodded again. The face of the bearded man reappeared, but his face looked thinner and more haggard this time. Tack frowned again and collapsed the image, the tacks in his mouth pointing downward.

"He died," she whispered.

The sadness on Tack's face confirmed it. Then he wove the shape of a building and held it up above his head.

"You inherited his shoemaking shop?" she ventured.

Tack smiled thinly. Then he stuffed the string back in his pocket and spread his hands wide. Done with his tale, he looked questioningly at her and inclined his head.

"You want to know my story?" she asked. Tack's smile widened. "Well, there isn't much to say, really," she admitted. "I've spent my whole life here in this palace. I pass my time reading in the royal library, tending to this garden, riding my horses… things of that sort. My mother died when I was very young—she became ill shortly after my birth. My nanny raised me in her stead."

Tack's shoulders sank and he gave her a sympathetic look; he understood her loss.

But Yum-Yum pushed away the dark memories. "Well, I think that's enough sad stories for today," she said dryly.

Tack nodded his agreement, rolling his eyes slightly.

"I have an idea. Let's take a walk after lunch. You can finish your work later," Yum-Yum suggested.

Tack's eyes lit up a little and he nodded again, looking relieved at the prospect of a break. They quickly finished eating, Tack making sure to feed his rat, and then they left the garden.

"Hmm, now, where shall we go?" she mused to herself as they strolled down the hallway from the garden. "Oh, I know!" She turned to Tack with a mischievous smile. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?"

Tack stared blankly at her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the delay! I've been juggling several different projects lately.**

* * *

**IN NEED OF A COBBLER—Chapter 3**

Tack stared around in amazement as Yum-Yum led him into the royal stables. Even the King's horses lived in luxury! The building itself was just as lavish as the rest of the palace, with colorful mosaics, shaded walkways, and high ceilings. The horses all stood in roomy stalls lined up against the walls. The whole place had a sort of musty smell, but Tack was used to that. His cobbling shop was pretty dusty, too.

Glancing sideways, he saw that Princess Yum-Yum looked perfectly happy here. Her bright purple eyes were all lit up in excitement. The stable attendants all bowed respectfully to her as they passed by, but they shot looks at Tack that were mostly either suspicious or confused. He wasn't really bothered by them, though. The Princess wanted him here, and that was the most important thing. He stole another look at her, admiring the gracefulness of her walk and the subtle sway of her hips. They walked through a beam of sunlight, streaming down from a high window; it cast a golden glow on her skin for just a second.

"Ah, here we are!" Yum-Yum said, leading Tack to one particular stall. A reddish-brown horse stuck its head out over the low stall door. It snorted and made a shrill noise, tossing its head up and down. Yum-Yum walked right up to the animal and stroked its soft-looking muzzle. "This is Amira; she's one of my favorites," the Princess explained.

Tack eyed the horse warily, but the horse didn't seem to share the feeling. It just looked curiously at him. They stared at each other for a moment, and then the horse let out another shrill sound, thrust its neck out, and sank its yellowed teeth into the floppy top of Tack's cap. Yum-Yum gasped and Tack's hands shot up to grab the hat's earflaps. He held on tight, struggling to keep it on his head, but the horse wouldn't let go! Tack's eyes narrowed and he let go with one hand to swat at the animal's snout.

"Amira, stop that!" Yum-Yum cried. The horse made a plaintive sound and let go. Tack stumbled backwards, wheeling his arms to keep his balance. He regained his footing and glared at the horse. Yum-Yum pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. Tack couldn't blame her; he could only imagine how silly he looked. His hat was sitting sideways on his head, covering one eye and leaving one ear showing. And his hair was probably sticking out all over the place. He most likely would have laughed, too, if he could see his reflection.

"Sorry, Tack," Yum-Yum said sheepishly. "I can't imagine what possessed her to do that!"

Tack gave her a smile and waved his hand dismissively, then went to straighten his cap. Before he could, though, Yum-Yum did something that surprised him.

"Here, let me," she offered, stepping a bit closer to him. He froze with his hands halfway to his hat and stared at her. She just looked back with a smile on her lovely, tan face. Her cheeks were a little flushed. Tack slowly lowered his hands back down to his sides. Yum-Yum reached up and tugged the cap back into place, then smoothed back all the tufts of hair that were poking out from under it. Her soft fingertips kept brushing against his face, and every time, his heart thudded in his chest.

Yum-Yum lowered her hands and stepped back with a nod. "There," she said.

He smiled his thanks at her, hoping his face wasn't as red as he felt it was.

"Amira can be rather spirited at times," Yum-Yum said. "Let's find a more docile horse for you."

He was a bit puzzled at that, until he realized what she meant; she'd been serious when she'd asked him if he'd ever ridden a horse. Tack followed her as she led him away from the stall. He was sort of nervous; he hadn't ridden a horse before, obviously. He was just a cobbler—why would he be riding horses? Only noblemen had them. (Well, some farmers had them, too, but most of the farmers he'd seen had donkeys and camels instead.) Still, he was also looking forward to it. He'd always wondered what riding a horse would be like.

The Princess brought him to another stall further down. This one had a brown horse inside it. The animal's ears swung forward as they stopped in front of the stall, and it looked at them with much gentler eyes.

"Her name is Aisha," Yum-Yum explained, giving Tack an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, she's much less high-spirited than Amira. I don't think she'll try to attack your hat," she added teasingly.

Tack chuckled silently and then eyed the horse. It made no move to grab anything, so he walked up to the door and held his hand up to its nose. It sniffed at him, its large nostrils flaring. He gathered up his courage and put his fingertips against its muzzle. Its fur was surprisingly soft and silky, and very warm. He patted its nose, smiling. The horse made a quiet sound.

"Would you like to try riding this one?" Yum-Yum asked. Tack turned to her, chewing on the ends of his tacks as he thought about it. Then he nodded and Yum-Yum gave him an excited grin. "Good!" She waved at a stable attendant sweeping at the end of the hall. The servant came over quickly.

"Yes, Princess?" he asked, bowing.

"Please groom and saddle this horse for my guest," she said. "And saddle Amira as well."

"Yes, Princess." The attendant took a piece of rope headgear from a peg next to the stall, went inside, and put the rope thing around Aisha's head.

"Come on, we'll wait by the riding ring," Yum-Yum said to Tack. She took his hand, surprising him again, and led him out of the stables.

* * *

A short time later, Tack found himself facing a particular problem: getting on a horse's back. The brown horse stood in front of him, with a servant holding its head to keep it still, and he was supposed to climb up into its saddle. He tilted his head back, looking up at the animal. It seemed much taller now than it had when it had been in its stall.

Yum-Yum rode by on her own horse, the high-strung reddish-brown one. "Just remember what I told you, Tack. You'll be all right!" she called down to him. Yes, she'd tried to tell him all about this riding stuff while they were waiting for their horses to be saddled up. Left foot first, she'd said…

Tack grabbed the ridge at the front of the saddle with his left hand and lifted his left foot high, trying to shove it into the stirrup. Instead, he just poked the horse's ribs with the toe of his sandal. The horse neighed at him. Tack let go of the ridge and grabbed the stirrup, thrusting his foot into it. He hopped on his right foot, grabbing at the saddle as he scrambled up. His foot slipped out of the stirrup and he slid down, then pushed off the ground and hauled himself up. Finally, after lots of flailing around, he was up and sitting astride the horse's back! He stared down at the horse, wondering what in the world he as supposed to do next.

Yum-Yum rode up next to him, smiling widely behind her thin veil. She seemed very natural riding her horse, sitting up tall and proud in the saddle with her hair and veils fluttering in the wind. She looked… well, she looked like royalty!

"Well, what do you think?" she asked lightly, smiling widely.

Tack shrugged, still looking down at the horse's neck. He picked up the reins, remembering that he was supposed to steer with them.

"Just tap her sides with your heels, then she'll walk for you," she reminded him.

Cautiously, Tack tapped the heels of his sandals against the horse's ribs. Sure enough, the horse set off at a slow pace, plodding along calmly. Tack smiled; this was easier than he'd thought it would be! He relaxed in the saddle, taking one hand off the reins to pat the side of the horse's neck.

Then he saw something strange from the corner of his eye—a dark, huddled shape sneaking along outside the riding ring and looking at Tack and his horse with huge, yellowed eyes. The bizarre person looked familiar somehow… Tack's eyes widened. It was that thief! And then the horse saw the thief, too (or maybe it smelled him). It jerked its head up, ears lying flat back against its head, and it let out a piercing shriek. And then it whirled around and _ran! _

"Tack!" Yum-Yum cried. He caught a flash of her shocked expression as the horse flew past her, hurtling across the riding ring. Tack clung precariously in the saddle as the horse ran, his elbows flapping up and down wildly and the wind whipping past his face. His heart pounded in his ears. The fence around the ring was coming up fast! "The reins, Tack! Pull back on the reins!" Yum-Yum shouted.

Tack hauled on the reins and the horse skidded to a stop. He lurched forward over the horse's neck, barely staying in the saddle, and then fell back onto the seat with a thud. All he could do was sit there in amazement. He looked up at the sound of hoofbeats and saw Yum-Yum riding over to him.

"Are you all right?" she asked anxiously, pulling her horse up next to his.

Tack stared at her for a moment, and then a wide smile spread over his face. He thrust his fists into the air and then grabbed the reins, turning the horse around. He nudged it with his heels until the horse got going at a slower run. Behind him, he could hear Yum-Yum laughing. She caught up to him and their horses ran side by side.

* * *

_Later that afternoon…_

"It's just a bit further," Yum-Yum said over her shoulder, leading Tack down another winding hallway. She'd spent the better part of the afternoon showing him around the palace, and now there was one place left to go. "This is the best place in the palace to watch the sunset," she explained, glancing back at him.

Tack smiled patiently at her and she couldn't help but smile in return. They passed through the very same garden where he'd been working earlier; her shoes still sat by the fountain. Glancing back again, she saw a puzzled look on Tack's face. But then she led him to an arched doorway along the western side of the garden. When she paused at the threshold, he tilted his head in a questioning way and she gestured eagerly for him to go through first. He did, cautiously walking out beyond the doorway. Yum-Yum followed and came around to stand next to him, just in time to catch his reaction. His puzzlement turned to wide-eyed amazement and Yum-Yum beamed in satisfaction.

They stood on a wide, curved balcony on the western side of the palace, looking out over the Golden City. Its streets and buildings gleamed in the setting sun. Tack turned towards her, his face alight with excitement. Then he rushed over to the edge of the balcony for a better view. Yum-Yum chuckled and walked after him, leaning against the carved balustrade as he took in the magnificent sight of the Golden City at sunset.

After a moment, he suddenly thrust a long, thin finger outward, jabbing emphatically with it. Yum-Yum realized he was pointing to a wide, checker-tiled square off to the right.

"Is that where you live?" she asked. "That's where your shop is?"

Tack nodded enthusiastically and turned back to look out over the city again. His pale hands settled on the stone balustrade. Yum-Yum smiled again as she tried to imagine what sort of place Tack would live in. She wished she could see it for herself! If Tack would agree to show her, perhaps she could convince her father to let her go…

They stood in silence, watching the sun sink towards the horizon. Yum-Yum's gaze flickered down to Tack's hand, resting on the balustrade. It was an awfully tempting thought… She pulled her eye away. But that didn't last long. After a moment's debate, she decided that propriety was vastly overrated. She slid her own hand over and lightly placed it atop his. Tack glanced down sharply, his eyes widening again. The tacks in his mouth moved sideways. Then the tacks swung up in a shy smile and he curled his long, warm fingers around hers. His bandaged thumb brushed gently over the back of her much smaller hand. Yum-Yum's heart fluttered and she returned his smile. They watched the sun descend out of sight, their fingers twined together.

The sound of footsteps in the garden broke the spell of the moment. "Princess?" called a familiar voice. It was Amaris, Yum-Yum's maid. She reluctantly dropped Tack's hand and turned to face the doorway. Amaris stopped in the threshold and bowed. "Princess, supper is ready," the maid said.

"Thank you, Amaris," Yum-Yum said. The maid bowed even lower and started to leave. She turned her head, about to ask Tack if he would join her for dinner, when a sudden thought stopped her: Zigzag may have been absent at breakfast, but he would almost certainly be there for supper. That conniving old sycophant wouldn't dare miss _two_ meals with the King. His reaction to a "lowly cobbler" dining at the King's table would certainly be amusing, but they would risk bringing Zigzag's wrath down upon Tack again. The Grand Vizier had already tried to feed the unfortunate man to his vulture! "Amaris, wait a moment," Yum-Yum called.

The maid reappeared in the doorway. "Yes, Princess?"

"My guest and I will take our supper here, on the balcony," Yum-Yum said.

"Yes, Princess," Amaris said. She bowed again and left.

Tack caught Yum-Yum's eye and gave her a puzzled frown.

"I thought it best if we avoided running into Zigzag, at least for now," she explained.

He looked slightly nervous as he nodded in understanding, the tacks swiveling downward.

"And besides, it would be rude of me to allow my guest to dine alone!" she added lightly.

The tacks swung upward again, twisting to the side. He regarded her for a moment with that peculiar smile of his. Then the white rat poked its head out from his pocket, where it had been sleeping, and he tore his gaze away to tend to it. Yum-Yum watched as he lifted the rat out and gently rubbed between its delicate ears with his fingertip.

Amaris arrived quickly with three other servants. They carried steaming plates of roasted lamb and vegetables with rice, and Amaris carried a teapot. They'd brought a bowl of sugared almonds for dessert, too, much to Yum-Yum's delight. They put the plates down on a small, wooden table and set cushions around it. Yum-Yum thanked the servants and they departed. She turned around to face Tack, who was peering at the table and sniffing appreciatively. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, go ahead and eat!" she said, seating herself on one of the cushions. She took off her face veil and poured herself a cup of fragrant tea.

He sat down next to her, putting the tacks in his pocket as he did. He took a piece of flatbread, scooping up some lamb and rice with it. His eyes brightened as he took a bite, obviously enjoying the savory meat. Up on his shoulder, the rat let out an agitated squeal. Tack put his flatbread down, plucked the animal from its place, and set it on the ground beside him. Then he gathered some vegetables on a little piece of flatbread and placed it next to the rat, which squeaked and dug right in.

"What a lucky little creature," Yum-Yum commented, "To go from scrounging crumbs in the dungeon to getting fresh food from the King's own kitchen!" _And hand-fed to it by a handsome man, no less,_ she added inwardly.

Tack smiled again—that wonderful, tack-less smile—and gave the rat an affectionate pat on the head.

Once they'd finished their dinner, Yum-Yum picked up the bowl of almonds. "Have you ever had these before?" she asked Tack. He shook his head. Grinning, Yum-Yum took four from the bowl and held them out across the table. "Here, try some."

Tack reached out his hand and she dropped the treats into his open palm. He picked one up, inspected it for a second, then popped it into his mouth. A wide smile stretched across his face and he quickly ate the other three.

Yum-Yum laughed. "They're delicious, aren't they? These have always been my favorite," she said.

The stars were shining overhead by the time they'd finished their meal. Yum-Yum lit the lanterns on the balcony and then joined Tack, who sat on a carved marble bench near the balustrade. He was once again staring out over the city. The tacks were back in their usual place, swiveling around pensively. She perched next to him and followed his gaze. Out in the city, the lights from hundreds of torches and lanterns flickered like a reflection of the night sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she murmured.

Tack nodded slowly. After another moment's silence, he suddenly turned towards her and pulled the golden string out of his pocket again. Yum-Yum watched with curiosity as his fingers started weaving. A rose took shape in the twisted string. Then it collapsed and a bird took its place. Tack wiggled his fingers and the bird's wings flapped, making Yum-Yum gasp in amazement. Then, after a moment's thought, a mischievous smile crossed his face and he went to work again. The face of a man emerged, but it wasn't just any man. She'd know that sneer and that curly beard anywhere; it was Zigzag! With a flex of his fingertips, the string-Zigzag's mouth opened and closed. Tack scrunched his face into an exaggerated scowl and moved his hands so that the face bounced up and down, as if it were shouting.

Yum-Yum let out a peal of laughter. "That's definitely Zigzag!" she said, rolling her eyes. Tack's shoulders shook with silent laughter as he collapsed the string face. Then an idea popped into Yum-Yum's mind. "Will you show me how to make those string pictures?" she asked eagerly.

He sat back on the bench, surprised, but then his face lit up and he scooted closer to her. He held his hands up a few inches apart, palms facing inward, then nodded at her own hands. She mirrored his gesture. He reached out, hesitated for a moment, and then gently grasped her hands. He gingerly spread her fingers and moved her hands a couple more inches apart. Then he looped the golden string around her hands, draping it between her fingers.

She watched with bated breath as he worked, handling her fingers with such care. He guided each one into place as he wove the string around them. Her eyes drifted from his hands to his face. His forehead was furrowed in concentration. But then he paused, feeling her eyes on him, and slowly looked up. His blue eyes met hers and they both held still. Then Tack blushed and quickly went back to his task. Yum-Yum's cheeks heated up, too, something that seemed to happen quite a lot when she was near Tack.

Finally, he lifted her hands up and pulled them apart. A simple circle appeared between them. Yum-Yum smiled proudly at it. Then Tack motioned for her to drop the string. She did, and he gestured at it and made a circle with his hands.

"You want me to try it on my own?" she asked. He nodded once. She picked the string up and did her best to mimic his actions. After a few corrections from Tack, a lopsided oval took shape between her spread hands. She let out a triumphant cry and Tack beamed his approval. "Show me another," she said excitedly.

Her next lesson, a star shape, was slightly more complicated, and recreating it herself proved to be even more so. Tack studied her hands speculatively, tapping his fingertip against his chin, and then he reached for her hands once more. He guided her fingers again, twisting loops of golden string between them in intricate patterns. The furrow in his brow deepened. He looked almost nervous. Yum-Yum watched on, mystified by his sudden intensity.

When he pulled her hands apart this time, a heart emerged in the golden string. Tack's face went red again and he glanced away for a moment. His hands stayed on hers, warm and as gentle as ever. Then he met her eyes again, smiling bashfully. Her own cheeks flushed once more and her heart beat faster. She was suddenly very aware of two important things: firstly, that they were sitting very close together; and secondly, that she'd forgotten to replace her face veil after supper.

Almost unconsciously, she reached up to pluck the two tacks from his mouth. It felt like such a perfectly natural gesture, despite the pounding of her heart. Tack stared at her, confusion in his blue eyes. Yum-Yum hesitated for a second, her courage wavering. And then she reached up again and grabbed the earflaps of Tack's cap, pulling him down and pressing her lips softly against his.

He gasped quietly, almost inaudibly, startling her so much that she let go of his hat and jerked away. He stared dazedly at her, his face redder than ever, and then he frowned in bewilderment.

She giggled breathlessly. "Sorry, it's just that, well… that's the first sound I've ever heard from you!" she exclaimed.

The frown turned to a smile and he shrugged. Then he looked at her with a mix of curiosity and yearning, and she didn't need words to guess why. They leaned towards each other and their lips met again.

"Princess?" came a voice from the garden. Now it was Yum-Yum who gasped, pulling away and quickly standing up.

"I'm out here," she called, glancing apologetically at Tack. He smiled at her, but she could her own disappointment mirrored in his face. She swiftly settled her face veil back in place; although her back was to him, she could guess that Tack's tacks had returned to his mouth.

Amaris walked through the doorway. "Your nanny has sent me to tell you that your bath is ready, Princess," the maid said.

"Thank you, Amaris," Yum-Yum said. "I'll be there in a moment." Amaris bowed and went back into the garden. She turned around again, sighing wistfully. "Good night, Tack," she said.

The tacks twisted up in a tender smile. In a sudden moment of boldness, he reached out and clasped her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. The corners of her mouth curled upward and she squeezed back. Then she let her hand slip from his and they left the balcony, entering the garden. Amaris was waiting for them beyond the doorway.

"Amaris, please escort my guest back to his quarters. And have Fikri see to it that he is taken care of in the morning," Yum-Yum said.

"Of course, Princess." Amaris bowed again.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tack," Yum-Yum said, glancing at him. He nodded emphatically and then followed Amaris out of the garden.

Yum-Yum watched him leave, then sighed again and headed towards her bedchambers. As she passed the fountain and the piles of shoes, a metallic gleam on the tiled floor caught her eye. She bent down, picking the tiny object up. It was a tack! _It must have fallen out of Tack's pocket while he was working here,_ she thought with a chuckle. Seating herself on the edge of the fountain, she lifted the tack up and inspected it. Its dark surface glinted in the moonlight.

Then, in a fit of curiosity, she dusted the tack off and stuck the end of it between her lips. She twisted around and looked down into the pool of the fountain, using its surface as a mirror. She contorted her face and mouth, trying to make the tack swivel and swing around like the tacks in Tack's mouth. It bobbed up and down, but it stubbornly refused to do what she wanted. _Years of practice, I suppose,_ she thought ruefully.

After changing into her nightclothes, she passed through the garden once more and entered her summer bedchamber. She held the tack cupped in the palm of her hand, held close to her chest. The little object went onto the small table by her bed. Yawning, she curled up on the soft bed. She gazed up at the stars as she waited for sleep to come, happiness filling her heart, and she wondered if it were really possible to fall in love so quickly.


End file.
